Railroad track lining machine



March 15, 1960 J. B. MOWILLIAMS 2,928,355

RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE Filed July 9, 195s a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEJYTQR. James B. Mam/hams Eva/d4 h/ g 116M .H/S ATTORNEYS IO N March 15, 1960 J. B. MCWILLIAMS 2,928,355

RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENZOR. James B. MCWIl/IUIHS HIS ATTORNE Y5 J. B. M WILLIAMS RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE March 15, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet s med July 9, 1956 'lllllllll.

'IIIIII James 8. I 10 W/mams k/4M $6M 1; HIS ATTORNE Y5 March 15, 1960 J. B. M WlLLl-AMS RAILROAD TRACK mums MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4' Filed July 9, 1956 INVENTOR. James B. McWil/iams BYM HIS ATTORNE Y5 March 15, 1960 J. B. MOWILLIAMS 2,928,355

RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1956 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTQR. James B. McWil/mms g M 9 6M H/S A T TORNE Y5 March 15, 1960 J. B. MCWILLIAMS RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 9, 1956 INVENTOR. James B. McWi/liams BY w fyqfimobw HIS ArroRA/E rs March 15, 1960 J, McWlLLIAMS RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 9, 1956 James B. McWil/iams' HIS A TTORNE Y3 March 15, 1960 J, B. MGWILLIAMS 2,928,355

RAILROAD TRACKLINING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1956 f 8 sheets-sheet 8 7 Fig. /4A

Fig. I46 Fig. I40

INVENTQR. James B. Mew/moms a/M, w ig-rflm Hi5 ATTORNEYS RAILROAD TRACK LINING MACHINE James B. McWilliams, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to Railway Maintenance Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 9, 1956, Serial No. 596,720

7 Claims. (Cl. 104-8) My invention relates to a machine to line railroad track rapidly and efficiently, with a minimum of manpower and hand labor.

As nearly as possible, perfect alignment of both tangent and curved track is very important from the safety standpoint, riding comfort of the passengers, and savings on damage to loads on fast freight trains. Maintaining a good line of track also reduces the cost of general track maintenance.

On both tangent and curved track the usual method of lining track requires from 10 to 15 men who insert levers under the rail to pry the entire track assembly over in the desired direction, while another man, by sighting along the rails, directs the amount of movement necessary to realign the rails. A machine to do the Work of these men is very desirable if the machine does not obstruct the view of the man sighting by eye or through a scope along the rail,

Numerous mechanical devices have been developed for lifting track such as that described in application No. 471,355, filed November 26, 1954, which has anchoring and lining apparatus mounted on a tractorinovable along a track bed. The present invention is an improvement upon that machine which comprises similar anchoring and track lining apparatus mounted on a car having wheels for operation on the railroad track ratherthan the track bed. v

In the drawings, I have illustrated a preferred embodimerit of my invention in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the track lining machine; I V

Figure 2 is a plan view of the track lining machine;

Figure 3 is a perspective of the retraction and locking mechanism;

Figure 4 is a top view of the retraction mechanism with the Wheel in the retracted position; 1

Figure 5 is a top view of the retraction mechanism similar to Figure 4 with the wheel in the extendedposit on;

Figure 6 is a side View of the retraction lock mechani'sm;

Figure 7 is a view of the axle, wheel and drive assembly with some parts in section;

Figure 8 is a perspective of the rail clamp mechanism;

Figure 9 is a side elevation view of the rail clamp mechanism with the clamp in position on the rail;

Figure 10 is a front elevation view of the rail clamp;

Figure 11 is a front elevation view of the gauging bar;

Figure 12 is a side elevation view of the gauging bar;

Figure 13 is a schematic drawing of the power system of the track lining machine; and

Figures 14A to 14D show the method of using the track lining-apparatus.

The present invention briefly consists of a four-whee car which moves along a railroad track and has mounted res Patent 0 A drive mechanism for the car is mounted in front of the engine 10 and consists of a motor 11, a coupling 12 connecting the motor to a transmission 13 which drives a sprocket 14. A continuous chain 15 is looped around the:sprocket 14 and a sprocket 16 mounted on the rear axle. I v

A pivotally mounted seat 17 isafiixed on the frame ahead of the motor and is covered by a roof 18. A control system comprising a right valve bank 19 and a left valve bank 20 is mounted in front of the seat 17 within easy reach of an operator sitting on the seat.

The anchoring and track lining mechanism 1 is mounted on the front of the frame by means of an elevating mechanism consisting of a rear head plate 31 to which are welded two wing plates 31a. Each of the wing plates has two sliding sleeves 31b welded to their inner sides which allow the mechanism 1 to I slide vertically on columns 21 (see Figure 14A).. Thecolumns 21 are fastened between a bottom cross channel 22 and a top cross channel 23 'The channels 22 and 23 are rigidly fixed to the main frame of the machine. The mechanism 1, plates 31g, and sleeves 31b can be. raised or lowered by cylinder '24. The upper end of the cylinder 24 is connected to the top cross channel 23 and the piston rod,extending downwardly from the cylinder, is pivotally fastened to the plate 31. r

The anchoring and track lining mechanism 1 is fully described in theabove-mentioned application No. 471,-. 355. ltconsists of a motor and reducer 25 which drive a shaft within the casing 26. A digging head 27 ,is mounted on the end of the shaft. This whole assembly is pivotally mounted between front and rear head plates 30 and 31 and movable by cylinders 29 to an angular relationship with respect to the track bed. v(Shown in Figure 14C.)

The piston rods extending upwardly from the cylinders 28 are connected by pivots to a platform for the motor 25 and the cylinders. 28 are attached at their lower ends to plates 30 and 31. The cylinders 28 are double directional to exert an. upward thrust or downward pull on the casing 26 and the shaft therein. 7

Cylinders 12%) and 127 are connected to feet 32 at each end of the plates 30 and 31, to provide a horizontal transverse thrust on the track to be lined. The description of this anchoring and track lining mechanism and its function contained in the above-mentioned application No. 471,355 is incorporated by reference into this application.

The two-wheel retraction mechanisms 4 and 5 are substantially alike and consist of a retracting shifter band 33 mounted on a sliding axle 34. The shifter band is pivotally mounted within a clevis 35 rigidly connected to a retracting arm 36. The retracting arm is pivotally mounted on a stationary bracket 37 by pivot pin 38. A

cylinder bracket 40 and actuates a retracting cylinder 7 clevis 41, which is pivotally mounted-to the retracting arm 36 by pin 41a, in inwardly and outwardly directions.

The retracting arm 36 moves horizontally within a slot 42 in the retracting arm lock bracket- 1 3. A housing 44 for a cylindrical pin 45 is welded to the top of theretracting arm bracket 43. The pin 451's reciprocabl'e vex fixed to the shaft 49 and rotates the shaft by a horizontal movement of the handle 52. A retracting lock latch 53 with a notch 54 therein is pivotally connected to the han dle 52. A handle 55 is rigidly aflixed to the upper side of the latch and a spring 53 maintains a downward force on the latch. When the pin 45 is in the upward position out of the hole 46, as shown in Figure 3, the notch 54 is in contact with a stop 54a,';thus maintaining theelevated position of the pin. h i

Referring to Figure 7, wheels 56 are mounted 'on the axle 34 by any known means, preferably by nuts 57. The retraction shifting band 33 is positioned in a recess in a shifting band collar 58 integral with sliding axle 34. The

sliding axle is positioned within an outer bushing 60 and an inner bushing 61.which allows the axle to reciprocate within a sliding axle housing 59. When the wheel is retracted, the sliding axle and the inner bushing move to the left in chamber 62 within the housings 59 and. The sliding axle housing 59 is connected by flanges 63 to a fixed axle housing 64 which retains a fixed axle 65. Another wheel 56 is secured to the fixed axle preferably by means of a nut 57. The sliding axle housing and the fixed axle housing are mounted on channels 7 of the frame by pillow blocks'66. A brake drum 67 is mounted at any desirable location on the housing'to which is applied a brake shoe, not shown, to 'retard movement of the lining machine. A driven sprocket 16 is keyed to the sliding axle housing to provide the motive force for the lining machine. A sliding key 68 positioned within a key way 69 on the sliding axle 34 prevents the 'may be shoe hanger 91 and a bracket 92 welded to the jack shoe T 4 inder with a rear jack shoe89 afiixed thereto. Upon actuation of the hydraulic cylinder, the rod 88 and shoe 89 move downwardly into contact with the tie or crib and elevate one side of the track lining mechanism. When the shoe is in the elevated position, a lock pin 90 inserted through a hole provided in a rear jack 89 to retain the jack in the elevated position.

The gauging sight bar 6 consists of a channel member 93 having a target 95 positioned thereon by means of cap screws 96 which extendthrough elongated slots 97 in the target to allow the latter to movehorizontally.

A checkerboard pattern'is painted 'on the target to aid visibility. A retainer 98 holds aspring 99 against the target 95 to maintain the target in the extreme righti hand position as viewed in Figure 11. A swing arm 100 is pivotally mounted at each end of the sight bar to a bracket 101 welded on the top of channel member 93.

The upper end of each swing armis pivoted on a shaft welded to'pivot supports 102 to allow the gauging sight bar to swing horizontally in either direction. Pantograph' arms 103 are pivotally connected to brackets 104 welded to each end of the front head plate 30 of thelining apparatus. The other ends of the pantograph arms are pivotally mounted on the pivot supports 102. A rest comprising a bracket 105 welded to plate and a platform 106 welded to the bracket is positioned below the lowermost pantograph arm at either or both ends of the sight a When the anchoring and lining apparatus sliding axle from rotating relative to the sliding axle housing and thus a two-wheel drive is provided for the car.

The front idler axle, which preferably is notdriven by any motor means. has the same retraction mechanism as the rear driven axle described above. However, both of the front wheels are mounted to allow the wheels to rotate relative to their respective axles.

, The rail clamp 2, shown in Figures 8. 9 and 10. consists of a pair of clamp jaws 70 pivotally mounted relative to each other by pin 71 to form a scissors-like arrangement. The ends of the clamp jaws are connected by pivot pins to spreader links 72. The upper end of the spreader links are pivoted relative to each other on a pin mounted between brackets 73 and 74 which are welded to channels 7. A pair of hanger links ;75 are pivotally mountedon pin 71 at opposite sides of'the clamp jaws 70. The upper ends of the hanger links are pivotally connected by a pin 76 to an arm 77 which is rigidly welded to a shaft 78 rotatable in brackets 79 mounted on channels 7. A clamp handle 80 is welded bar to prevent the bar from swinging so low that it would be damaged by striking objects in its path. The pantograph arms permit the gauging sight bar to move freely;

in the vertical direction. I 1 is lowered into the crib, the channel member93 contacts the top of a rail and the target 95 is urged by spring 99 into contact with the gauge side of the rail. The channel member andqtarget inherently assume these positions due to their unrestricted horizontal and vertical movement al lowed by the swing and pantoaraph arms. t

The gauging sight bar is prima 'ly used with a sighting scope and a manual target. The scope and manual target are erected at widelv separated points on one rail of the track to be lined. By viewing through the scope on the manual target down the rail, a straight line is established which the track should follow. The scope is then locked to swing onlv inthe vertical direction. The lining machine. with the gauging sight bar and target in position a on the rail a one whichthe view through the scope is limited. is moved slowly away from the scope. A man viewing throu h the scope indicates to a second man driving the lining machine when the target on the bat moves to the right or left of the view through the scope.

At these points it is necessary to throw the track the to the shaft 78 and causes rotation thereof by a horiand the notch 83 no longer. in contact with the stop 85.

When the rail clamp is in the ele- The rail clamp; when'in clamping position on a rail,

maintains the machine in a fixed position with respect to i the track so that the retractable wheels 56 may be easily repositioned on the rail after, the lining operation.

' The rear jack mechanism 3 is a double directional hy draulic cylinder 87, mounted on a plate 87a welded to the car frame. A piston rod 88 extends from the cylappropriate direction to line the track.

- A hydraulic set off cylinder 131 is mounted on the frame at about the center of gravity of the track lining machine and has a rod 132 extending from the bottom thereof with a plate 133 attached. The cylinder is pivot: ally mounted at its upper end and enclosed in a casing 134. A tube 135 slides within the casing and surrounds the rod 132 when the plate 133 is lowered into contact with the crib or tie. The bottom of the slide tube is welded to plate 133. A holdup latch 136 maintains the plate 133 in an elevated position when not in use.

When cylinder. 131 is actuated the plate 133 moves downward into contact with the crib or tie thus elevating the whole machine away from the rails. The machine may now be rotated with .cylinder131 and plate 133 acting as a pivot. wheels 56 after the machine has been rotated90' to remove the machine from the main track to permit the passage of a traine Or the machine may be rotated and lowered back on the track by cylinder 131 to reverse its direction and avoid having to drive the machine in reverse back to the-starting point or siding.

Tracks can be inserted under the Figure 13 schematically shows the means for providing hydraulic power and controls for the 'trackiin ng machine. From a reservoir 107, flpid passes through delivery pipe 108, strainer*1tl9,and topuni'p 110 where the fluid is pressurized and moved through line 111 to the left valve bank 20. The line 112 moves other fluid through strainer 113 and to pump 114 which provides a pressurized fluid to the right valve bank 19 through line 115. r

Referring specifically to the left valve bank 20, a valve 116 provides fluid under pressure to motor 11 to motivate the car. A valve 117 supplies fluid to cylinder 24 to raise and lower the anchoring and track lining mechanism. Valve 118 supplies fluid to the lift cylinders 28 to move the casing 26 upward and downward. Valve 119 supplies fluid to'left dog cylinder 120 to operate the left foot 32 in throwing track to the left.

Refe r p fi a 9 t e ht a v nk v v 122 supplies fluid to the cylinders 39 to retract and extend the wheels. Valve 123 supplies fluid to the motor 25 to rotate the shaft in casing 26. Valve 124 supplies fluid directly to the rear jack cylinder 87 to elevate the car. If the cocks 130 are opened and the line to the rear jack cylinder closed by cocks 130a, pressurized fluid is supplied to the set-off cylinder 131 to raise the lining machine from the track. Valve 125 supplies fluid to cylinders 29 to move the casing 26 to an angular position. Valve 126 supplies fluid to right dog cylinder 127 to operate the right foot 32 in throwing track to the right.

All of the cylinders and the motor 11 have return lines to their respective valves. The right valve bank 19, in turn, has a return line 128 to the reservoir 107 and the left valve bank 20 has a return line 129 to the reservoir 107. The motor 25 has a direct return line to the reservoir 107 which does not pass through valve 123.

Each of the valves 116 to 119, 122, and 124 to 126 are three-position, manually operated control valves which direct pressurized fluid from the pumps 110 and 114 to its respective cylinder or motor. When a valve is in a neutral position, no fluid is flowing through either the feed line or the return line. When a valve is in a second position, pressurized fluid is being directed from the pumps 110 and 114 through a feed line to a cylinder or motor to actuate the same in a desired direction. When the valve is in a third position, pressurized fluid is being directed to the same cylinder or motor to actuate the latter in a reverse motion to that achieved when the throttle was in the second position. The valve 123 is a two-position, manually operated valve which directs fluid to the unidirectional motor 25. The valve in its first position directs fluid to the motor and in its second position closes the feed line to stop the flow of fluid to the motor.

The track lining machine is moved along the tracks with the anchoring and track lining assembly 1 in raised position as shown in Figure 1. At a point where it is desired to line the tracks, the assembly 1 is lowered by actuating cylinder 24 until the bottom of the assembly rests on the ballast in a crib (enclosed between the rails and two ties) as shown in Figure l4A. By rotating the digging head 27, the cylindrical casing 26 of the anchoring assembly is driven down into the ballast by hydraulic cylinders 28 until suflicient depth has been gained to anchor the track lining apparatus. The two front wheels of the track lining machine are raised from the track by this operation. The clamping jaws 70 are now actuated downward and into engagement with the rail by squeezing the handles 80 and 82 together to disengage the notch 83 from the stop 85. The rear jack 3 is actuated to raise the left rear wheel of the machine away from the track as shown in Figure 14B.

At this point, it may be desirable, depending upon the circumstances, to actuate the cylinders 29 so as to rotate the anchoring assembly, as shown in Figure 14C. To accomplish this, the top of the anchoring assembly is moved in the direction in which it is desired {to gnove track. The advantages of this operation are that the casing 26 of the anchor-ing assembly is placed at an angle in the ballast relative to the direction of throw of the track so that there is a downward component in the reaction to the thrust against the rail which tends to accentu." ate the rigid holding of the casing 26 in the ballast; and that the foot 32 is brought closer into contact with the rail and thus, gives the machine a wider range of throw of the track.

The retraction lock mechanism is now released by pulling inward on the handle 52 which, in turn, elevates and releases the pin 45 from the hole 46 in the retracting arm 36. The handle 52 is pulled sufliciently inward to allow the notch in latch 53 to engage the stop 54a and 14C. The left side of the track lining machine is now.

unobstructed and a person sighting down the rail can easily determine how far the rail must be thrown to place it in line. The left dog cylinder 120 is now actuated to exert a horizontal thrust on the track and throw it to the left of the machine as shown in Figure 14D.

After the lining operation, the rail engaging means 32 is withdrawn from its extended position by reversing the cylinder 120; the retraction cylinders 39 are actuated in a reversed direction to move the wheels to an extended position: the retracting lock latch is raised to disengage the notch 54 from the stop 54a and the handle 52 is pushed outwardly to move the pin 45'into the hole 46 in each of the retracting arms 36; both front and rear; the cylinder 87 is actuated to move the rear jack upward and thus lower the left rear end of the machine; the handle is moved inward until the notch 83 in the holdup latch 81 engages the stop means 85, to disengage the clamp jaws 70 from the rail; the anchoring assembly is returned to the vertical position by hydraulic cylinders 29; the casing 26 is raised from the ballast by hydraulic cylinders 28; and the entire anchoring and track lining assembly is raised from the crib by cylinder 24 to an elevation appropriate for moving to a new work location.

While I have described a present preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A track lining machine movable along railroad tracks, including a frame, tubular axle mountings affixed to the underside of said frame, two-piece axles positioned in each of said mountings, one of said pieces in each mounting be ing affixed to the axle mounting and having a wheel mounted thereon, each of the other of said pieces being slidable within said mounting and having a secondwheel mounted thereon, means to move each'of said other pieces and said second wheel transversely of the frame from an unretracted position to a retracted position inward of a plane extending longitudinally along the rail and perpendicular to the plane of the tracks, means to lock said other pieces and second wheels in unretracted position and means to support said frame during and after said retraction.

2. A track lining machine according to claim 1 including clamp means aflixed to said frame to releasably engage one of said rails and thereby maintain the wheel mounted on said one axle piece in contact with a rail, and means to elevate each of said other pieces and said second wheels.

3. In a machine for carrying track maintenance apparatus such as a track aligning machine, including a base mounted on Wheels movable along the track, support means to independently maintain one side of the base in an elevated position above the track, and retracting means for retracting the entire wheel on said one side to a position inward of a plane extending longitudinally along the rail and perpendicular to the plane of the track.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said support means elevates saidone side of the base. 7 a p i t A 5. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said support means elevates said one side of the base to remove the retractable wheel from contact with one of the tracks, and means to maintain a wheel on the other side of the base in contact with one of the rails.

6. A machine according to claim 3 further including clamp means on the other side of the base to be connected to a rail in its operative position so as to maintain said other side of the base in rigid relationship with respect to said rail.

7. A machineaccording to claim 3 including an axle affixed to the base upon which said entire wheel is mounted, a lever arm having one end pivoted to said base and the other end pivotally afiixed to said axle, power means to pivot said arm inwardly toward the base to simultaneously retract said axle and wheel, and pin means affixed to the base and adapted to be inserted into an opening in said arm to lock the Reference s cited in patent I UNITED-STATES PATENTS 264,481 ,Shefiield jSept. 19, 1 882 198,736 Dunbar et a1. May 20, 1884' 765,211 Thompson July 19 1904 1,448,372 Bager et a1-.. Mar. 13', 1923 1,592,153 Petersen July 13, 1926 2,050,179 Holt Aug. 4, 1936 2,684,641 Warf July 27, 1954 2,693,769 Herlehy Nov. 9, 1954 2,781,002 Talboys Feb. 12, 1957 2,818,820

Williams Jan. 7, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Nordberg: Trakliner, bulletin 2303 by Nordberg Mfg. Co., copyright 1955. 

